New Year's Resolutions

In honor of bringing the blogs together, we'll start by posting the last thing we talked about as Sigma Separately:  New Year's resolutions!

Let me ask you something if you're considering making a new year resolution:  Why on earth would you wait until the New Year?

Here's a list of what the government says are popular new year's resolutions: RESOLUTION!
Kind of interesting to think about the ways that we hinder ourselves when you look at things we want to change in the new year.

If it's about obeying the Lord, putting down things that harm you, or just simply making your life better, why on earth wait?!?  You don't need a date on the calendar to start listening to and obeying the things that God tells us to do.

Personally, I'm way too sporadic and lame when it comes to spending time with the Lord.  I'm making a plan to spend scheduled time praying, reading the Bible, and praying with my fam each week, and I'm starting it Monday.

What are your New Year's resolutions?

Here's what some have already said:
Coaltrain: For sure get into the word a tonn! Just have my faith grow more and more everyday to strengthen my relationship with Christ. start asking my friends if they need me to pray for them constantly! So to basically to sum it up, I'd stinking love to grow in my faith more and more throughout the next year!

Anonymous: I'd like to be able to have the strength to forgive a family member that completely broke me down this year constantly. I have all of this built up resentment towards this person and being able to forgive would make me so much more free and able to concentrate on bigger things in life.

Bringing the Blogs TOGETHER!

COR Leadership Track!

For the past several years Blogs for leadership track campers have been separated for Quest and Sigma, but all of you are so awesome we just thought we should all get together and share stuff on these blogs, so instead of keeping you separate; all of Leadership camps is now blogging on this blog!

HERE is the blog...but if you're reading this... you're already here.

Love you guys, looking forward to keeping up with you here!

Not Giving Up Hope

i leave for sigma on sunday. these past few days have been very dark for me. for some reason i've been doubting my faith completely, doubting that God will actually help me with what seems like a lot of problems on my plate right now. for the past few days, i've ignored God and barely prayed at all. everytime i heard anything about God, a strong voice came into my head and said, "You actually BELIEVE that stuff? How could you possibly believe that?" i usually don't experience as much doubt as i did this week. but i know for a fact that there is a God who is desperate to love and guide us...when i was facing these doubts all this week, every single temptation that i've ever faced in my entire life came rushing back to me, even temptations i thought i had overcome long ago. it was awful. i felt so dark and low and sinful. every thought was about those temptations and not about the Lord. last night, my youth minister told me that "the devil has NO power besides the power we give him." before talking with him, i never really believed in the devil. i just believed that there is sin in the world. now, there's not a doubt in my mind that there's a devil who's just waiting to tempt me more and more every single day. if we give the devil the slightest bit of power, he'll take it and use it and put us through darkness that we can't get out of alone. also before this week, i still wasn't having a very good prayer life. i know now that things won't change immediately, but from now on, i'm hoping that my prayer life grows...a lot. so if anyone's still reading this blog, please pray that i will persevere and not give up. please pray that i was submit my life to God once again and realize that He is our only source of satisfaction and love and hope and joy. i already feel stronger, and i've barely done anything different...i'm just realizing that things need to change and trusting that God will help me. i love you all and i pray that you persevere too. don't ever give up. no one ever said having faith would be easy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKISYTwnn0A

Hey Quest!

Hey guys!
I know it's been ages since I've posted, but i do read this blog often and it is really encouraging. I just want to let yall know some cool things that have happened in my life. So before i went to Quest this year, I was really praying that in learning more about God i would also learn more about myself. I prayed that God would reveal more about who he created me to be while i was at Quest. I was shocked when I got to Quest and we did a personality test, a spiritual gifts test, and a love language test. Talk about a direct answer to prayer! Anyways, the tests really revealed alot to me about myself, and it was just awesome that God answered that prayer. Since Quest, (it's only been a little over a week since I got back) God has continued to dilligently reveal who he wants me to be, and who I already am through his saving grace.
Thank God for answered prayer!
I'm leaving tommorow for a mission trip to Honduras, so I would appreciate it if yall would keep that in your prayers!
-Hannah

The Bible

Hi guys!

I just got back from a mission trip, so I'm sure I could write about a lot, but I had to share one of the most incredible things that ever happened to me.

On the way back from the trip (8 hours in a van), I went to check my texts, and I noticed that my phone said it was downloading something. I was really confused because I hadn't clicked on anything, so I went to check it. I opened my notifications and what could be downloading...except the BIBLE APP! I seriously was doing absolutely NOTHING to do with Christianity on my phone!

I was so freaked out but excited at the same time. I had to turn off my phone to go to worship. While we were coming out of worship, I joked to my friend (Delaney, if you're reading this) that I wondered if it had downloaded. She said that things can't download while your phone is off. I responded that apps can't choose a random phone and download themselves, so it probably had. Sure enough, my Bible app downloaded while my phone was turned off! I seriously LOVE this app, too: I tried searching for one before, but the choices overwhelmed me. I guess God knows what we need!

Anyway, I better go, because I have the feeling I should be reading my Bible more. I am looking forward to camp so much! Hopefully, I will see you there! Bye!
-Erin W.

Help?

Quest I need your help. One of my best friends is really struggling right now. None of you know her, but right now she is struggling with anorexia and suicidal thoughts almost everyday. I help her as much as possible and I basically don't stop talking to her, but if you could comment on this and please give me some advice that would be amazing and so helpful. She is a very strong Christian, so Bible verses or anything that has to do with God would help! Thank you, love you, and I hope you're having great summers.

I miss you questies!

Quest!

For some reason I wasn't able to post for the longest time. So that's why it's been a while, but I'm back!

I want to give y'all a summer challenge. Summer is a great time to hang out with friends and go crazy because we're FINALLY out of school! But it's also such an amazing time to deepen your relationship with the Lord. Imagine if we spend the hours of free time we have with the Lord! Imagine if we used every extra second and devoted that second to Christ! I challenge you to really analyze the way you live your life and decide whether or not your life is an example of the love and redemption of Christ. I challenge you to ask yourself, "Do people know I'm a Chrisitian by my actions? Or simply by the things I say and the number of Bible verses I know?" Quest, I'm still praying for all of you, and I pray that you are growing closer to the Lord with each passing day! This past month has been one of the hardest for me, but I've found that the more in love I fall with Christ, the easier it is to move past the daily temptations of this world. I really encourage you to keep posting and keep growing in your faith!

New favorite..."The Lord Himself will fight for you. You only have to keep still." Exodus 14:14. The Lord is your sword! Trust that He will fight your temptations for you.

-Haley

Psalm 73:26

Hey guys! I know it’s been forever since I’ve posted, but I still check this blog at least once a week hoping to see new posts! There has been so much going on lately, but I just wanted to tell y’all about one thing that maybe you can find helpful.

We all feel this way at one point or another… it’s a fear everybody faces…FAILURE. Lately I have felt as if I am failing at life. Now, don’t get me wrong, some things right now are going wonderfully, but not everything. I am blessed beyond what words can relate (especially now that the mavericks are the NBA champions…), but there’s still that sense of failure that follows sometimes. I am here to tell you that because Christ is in us, WE CANNOT FAIL. It’s literally impossible. God meets the standard on our behalf. He makes up for what we can’t do. Also, you may not know it, but every one of us is influencing someone else’s life. You are an encouragement and a role model to someone. And this is where I’ve gotta give a heartfelt thank you thank you THANK YOU to my girl Emily Hamilton. When life kicked me down and I couldn’t find the strength to get back up, the LORD used her to speak to me. She encouraged me and got me going again. That’s why we have friends, people to connect with and support us, this blog! So don’t ever feel like you are anything less than a child of the king! When you mess up, when you fall down, even when you do fail in an effort to do something, remember Psalm 73:26.

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

-ALexa

P.S. here are a couple more verses I ran across today… “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid of terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)

Water

Hey guys!
Really exciting news: I just made it into one of the biggest science programs in the world! (At least I think it is...)
It's called the JASON Project (in case you've heard of it) and it's goal is to teach kids about real-life science. They also have a couple high school students who work with real scientists in the field, conducting experiments and helping to create the program for the younger students.
Why am I sharing this? You have no idea what a God thing it is! This past year I've been feeling like my calling in life is to work to make clean water available to more people...and what I didn't know when I applied for the Jason Project was that we were going to be working with water chemistry! I've been struggling with whether I should work with water or cars (I like the engineering behind it, and I wanted to make them more fuel efficient), and this is definitely God's sign.
Miracles do still exist, and God still speaks to us! Keep believing!

P.S. Lauren, it won't let me comment on your post, but Tobit (one of the Catholic books) is my FAVORITE, and the letters from St. Paul are really encouraging! Good luck!

Advice Needed

So I don't really have a specific method in reading the Bible. I just pick a chapter and work my way through. But I really need some advice from Quest about which chapter I should read next! I was looking for something about really strong faith. A chapter that deals with doubting God. That kind of thing. I know this is EXTREMELY vague, but if anyone knows of a certain place for me to go that would be particularly helpful, I would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks everyone.

ps: listen to Blessings by Laura Story. One of the greatest songs ever!!

David and Goliath

Hey guys!
I'm reading 1 Samuel right now. I just finshed the story of David and Goliath, and I know most of us have probably heard it before, but a lot of things stuck out to me.

One of the first things was when David was given Saul's armor to wear. "He walked with difficulty, however, since he had never tried armor before" (1 Sam 17:39). So he took of the armor, grabbed some stones and his slingshot and went on his way. Aren't we expected to wear armor? To put on a mask to fit it, to look better? David found out that we can't try to be someone else or we will be so stuck in that role that we won't be able to do anything. The only way we can help ourselves, those around us, and God is to be ourselves!

The second part is just a couple good verses. I feel like this should be our mentality before we face each day. "David answered him: You come against me with sword and spear and scitimar, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel that you have insulted." (1 Sam 17:45) This is so true; people may attack us and insult us and (directly or indirectly) God, but we shouldn't fight back. David won because he went in the name of the Lord, and so will we!

Here's what it says when David actually attacks Goliath: "David put his hand into the bag and took out a stone, and hurled it with the sling, and struck the Philistine [Goliath] on the forehead. The stone embedded itself in his brow, and he fell prostrate on the ground" (1 Sam 17:49). I kept getting this image of us pulling a verse out of the Bible and hurling it at those who fight us, so that it will sink into them and lead them to fall postrate before the Lord. The Bible is the only thing we need to win our 'battles', just how David only needed the stones and sling. They seemed so meager compared to Goliath, but they still won, just like prayer and the Bible.

The final part I'd like to talk about is actually after the battle. When people heard about the young boy who fought off the Philistine's hero, they were all asking whose son he was. That's like us, don't you think? God gives us challenges so that we may overcome them and have people ask who we serve, so that we can proudly answer "Jesus".

Anyway, sorry that was long, but I hope you at least got something out of it! I love hearing from you guys, and keep posting!

-Erin

Read this!

QUEST! There is a senior at a school near my house named Anna who was diagnosed with cancer in 2009. She's been receiving treatment since then, but things aren't looking so good for her. Doctors have told her that she won't make it past the end of the summer. PLEASE go to www.1millionprayers.com, click on "Make Your Prayers Count" on the left side of the website, and sign up to join the prayer chain for Anna! Since 2009, 979,105 people have pledged to pray for Anna everyday at 12:12, based off Romans 12:12, "Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer." They are trying to reach 1 million by TOMORROW - Anna's graduation! Imagine this...Imagine if doctors have told you that there's no point in applying to college because you're not going to make it till then. Imagine if you could barely see your friends and only saw hospital walls everyday. Imagine being told that you only have a few months left. Quest, please help Anna and her family reach their goal of 1 million prayers and sign up on the website right now! Go go go! Thank you soooo much! :)

And share this with your friends/family! Thank you!

Romans 12:12.

Fight for the Kingdom

So all this talk about the end of the world makes me think about my place in God's kingdom. If i were to die today would i be proud to face Jesus and show him all that i have done for him or would i have regrets because i should have done so much more? Every day is a battle, every second we have a choice to live for God or to put other things over him. I encourage you guys to fight for your faith and fight against sin, hurt and unworthiness to strive for the kingdom. The kingdom of God is not just in heaven but it is here on earth and it is our job to preserve it and live into it with all of our hearts.
"Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10)
These are words from the lords prayer that many of us recite everyday, for me the words lose meaning and become monotone but they are SO important and deserve my full attention and commitment.

Watch this!

Quest! First I just want to say how amazing each and every one of you is. I cannot believe that this blog is still going. Last year, we made it to January, but now it's May and we're still going! Keep it up :)

For my Christian Scripture class at school, we have to lead the class in a Bible study as our final project (cool, right?! I love it!). At the end of our Bible study we have to show the class a reflection video that highlights the main messages in the passages we chose for our Bible study. Some of the passages I chose to talk about are 1 Peter 1:3-9 and John 20:19-31. They talk about the importance of going through trials and about believing without seeing. You should read them before you watch my reflection video :) After you read them, here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtvjVqsLuaw. Or you can just click on the title of this post! Enjoy!

Cool verse I found: "If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all." Isaiah 7:9

Baptised today

so at about 11 this morning, i was baptised. now a couple of weeks ago i posted about where i should get baptised: at watermark community church or at Sky ranch. This question about where i should get baptised was the final lesson that the Lord had to teach me about what He's BEEN telling me throughout the whole year: Fellowship.

1 John 1: 3-7 "We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete. This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us all from sin."

Today, i realized that i had been baptised in more than a name and in more than a faith, i was baptised in a fellowship of Christians who strive for the Lord. One of the biggest struggles for me with my faith is feeling alone. At times i could feel like God isn't there and that He's distant or that i am the only one living today in a Godly way. But i've been shown that God is never distant, WE are.

Today, I'm walking with the guarentee that I am not alone and that I'm never alone, because i have my small group, i have watermark and I have Christ alive in my heart

seizing time

Eph 5:15-16- "Be very careful how you live. Do not live like those who are not wise, but live wisely. Use every chance you have for doing good, because these are evil times."

Our lives are filled with opportunities and chances for living in a godly way. But they are also filled with obstacles that can prevent you from grabbing hold of those chances. In order to make the most of the lives we have, we have to make the most of the time we have.

The first words in this verse are "Be very careful." To me, this sounds like something a mom would say to their kid as they were running out the door to play outside. These words depict a certain way to live, or "walk," which the Bible uses often, that is safe and precise. Living like this includes living with forethought and a strong sense of awareness. Think of it as driving a car: You need to be constantly attentive and appropriately responsive to always changing circumstances on the road. You swerve to get away from dangerous hazards, brake at school buses, and follow the rules of the road. Your knowledge, vigilance, and skill help make wise decisions at any given time.

In order to live wisely, you need to do the same thing. You need to face each day spirtually alert, and recognizing evil so it can be avoided like a dangerous road hazard.

-DJ

Back on track

A few days ago, I realized something about myself. First, I realized that I had been trying to finish Colossians for the past two months and I was only on the first chapter. And not because I was intensely studying it, but because I read my Bible probably once every two weeks for five minutes. How sad is THAT! Here I was telling everyone in my Bible study at school to read their Bibles and everything, and I wasn't even doing it myself. There's a huge difference between reading your Bible for a few minutes once a week...and being in the Word every single day, multiple times a day, and using the Word to strenghten the way in which you live your life. Next, I realized that I wasn't really diving into my faith. DJ posted something way back in January about the importance of diving into your faith, surrendering your whole life to God, letting go of everything else, and completely diving into God's glory and goodness. I wear a key everyday that symbolizes that God is the key to life and that He holds the key to our hearts. And yet, for these past few months, I haven't been making Christ my KEY! My Center! My Everything! Sure, I've given two witness talks at two different retreats about my key and the whole story behind it (facebook inbox me if you want to know the whole thing-it's awesome!), but I wasn't really ACTING ON the knowledge that God is the key to life and LIVING WITH that knowledge. And now looking back I feel so hypocritical. But the good thing is, all of that is changing now. Thanks to this blog and all of you guys (especially Alexa's post below this about thirsting for the Word), I'm getting back to the way I was before. Last night, I started with Proverbs, and I'm loving it! Like Alexa said in her post, I'm already getting to the point where I want to stay up all night reading it. It's so beautiful! So thank YOU :) Thank you all for everything, for inspiring me so much everyday!

Holy Spirit

Lately i have been really lazy about getting into the word but last night i was in the word a bit and i spent a while before God asking him to bring me closer to the Holy Spirit and today i have noticed that he really does provide. I cant believe that I am always so lazy and i am not willing to put in more effort even when i can see the benefits so clearly. Today I noticed that I had so much more joy, i was filled with more smiles and laughter than i usually experience in a day and my attitude was great. Yesterday was a bit of a struggle for me because i was feeling sick and tired and my attitude suffered and I did not treat people the way i should have. I didnt even go into the day with a plan to change my attitude and outlook but because i asked God to live through me with the power of the Holy Spirit He was able to change my attitude. I didnt feel pressured into the sins that i usually am weighed down with and i gravitated towards the people who are going to build me up towards Christ with out even thinking about it. Im not sure if this is making sense and it is rather hard to explain but it was a really great thing to look back on. I have never really been sure what the role of the Holy Spirit was until i started reading "Forgotten God" by Francis Chan. I posted an excerpt in an earlier post but the book is really changing my outlook. God and Jesus were the center of my faith but i have really been getting to understand the Holy Spirit better. I encourage all of you to read it especially if you are realizing that you are totally missing out on 1/3 of the Trinity because i was for sure.

"If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11:13

GOD LOVES US so much and he knows exactly what we need so i think it is safe to say that he has given no greater gift than that of his son and the holy spirit- seek Him every single day!!!

thirst quenched solely by the word

So, as cool as this is, I came to post on the blog an saw ally’s post, and mine totally relates to the time part of it! Such a God thing. Anyways, I just wanna start with something that I’m sure most of you have heard before--The idea that if God comes first in your life, then everything else will fall into place. If you make spending time in prayer to the Lord, in his word, and seeking his heart above all things your priority, the rest of your life will find the perfect place below the Lord. So check this out..

I have a plan. A plan to read the entire Bible before I go to Sigma in mid-July. I mean, not only to read it, but to study it, but to let it sink in and penetrate my heart. Let the Lord speak to me through it. I have a reading plan that’s in chronological order. I love it. It just makes sense to me and it reveals all the little correlations I would never have caught on my own. I’ve been going by this reading plan, and I’m enjoying every minute of it. But the past few days, I haven’t been satisfied. I wanted more. I wanted to read until my eyes couldn’t stay open any longer. I thirsted for his word more than I have in a long time. So I started to read more than one day’s worth. On Easter, I got to the point of thirsting for the living word of God that I read Joshua and Judges in one day, with my reading spread throughout the day. I yearned for more, more, more. I am running towards the Lord in such a manner that sometimes I find myself lost in the moment, overwhelmed by his captivating words and creation. Yet I am not satisfied. I am overwhelmed, and not satisfied. Complacency is NOT an option. I will not quit, I will not let my weariness take over, and I will NOT settle for what I know is not enough. If I thirst, I drink until I’m no longer thirsty. Guys, my thirst has not been quenched yet. I read and read and run and still want more when I reach the point where sleep sets in and I literally HAVE to stop. It’s awesome!!

Now for the second part of this story…I had to fill you in on the intensity factor first…

So, these days that I have been staying up way later than I should, spending time in the Word, the Lord had worked in my favor in visible ways at school. It’s SO SWEET! For example, yesterday, I had a biology test that I didn’t study much for because I wanted to read my Bible. I hardly studied at all. The test was EASY. I mean, totally unexpected easy. The Lord was looking out for me. Art—I finished a project that was due that I didn’t think I would be able to finish. And it actually looked semi-good! Hahaha. Today, English test. Should have been killer..it wasn’t. I shouldn’t have finished the in-class essay, but I did. Math—thought there would be a quiz. A quiz we have every day that I rarely know exactly what I’m doing. NO QUIZ. Now if that isn’t the Lord’s hand guiding my life, I don’t know what is. HE IS IN CONTROL! It’s completely true! Put him first and EVERYTHING ELSE FALLS INTO PLACE. I dare you to try it. He will absolutely blow your mind.

-Alexa

David Crowder, Charles Blondin, Finding Time, and Easter

Hey guys :) I know I haven't posted in FOREVER but I've been reading every single one of y'all's posts and they are so inspiring, thank you so much for being so awesome! I have a few things to go over today, so if this post is a little on the too long side, sorry!

Okay well on Friday I went to a David Crowder Band concert with five of my friends at Six Flags in Arlington. They are my favorite band and I just absolutely love their lyrics, message, melodies etc. so, naturally, I was uncontrollably excited to be able to worship our Lord with them. It was my first Christian concert and now I'm completely hooked! For one thing, David Crowder is absolutely PHENOMENAL in concert; he's seriously better live than on the CD. If you haven't seen them in concert, I highly recommend. But there's just something so AMAZING about being with a 1,000 people (more or less) in an outdoor amphitheater worshipping the Lord. It was a completely transcendent experience and made me feel so refreshed and happy and eager to search after Jesus!

At church on Sunday, my pastor spoke about something that really made think. He talked about a man named Charles Blondin, who was a really famous tightrope walker at the turn of the last century. He was incredible. He would walk across the river above the Niagara Falls (that's about 1000 feet across) on a river 160 feet above the water. He would walk to the middle of the rope, carrying a chair, balance it on the rope on one leg and then stand on the back of chair. He would straddle the rope and cook a meal and eat it. So basically, this guy was the real thing. He had a HUGE following of people that were amazed and in awe of him and respected him. But, people got tired of the regular old walking and eating and balancing so he decided to step it up a few notches. "Do you believe in me?" he asked the crowd one day. "YES!!!" they all screamed. "Well then who wants to get on my back?" The crowd was silent. He chose one guy and told him to get on his back but the man RAN AWAY. Finally, his manager actually got on his back and hung on as Blondin walked across the river from 160 feet above. My pastor said that we need to not just believe IN Jesus we need to believe ON Jesus! It's easy to be like the crowd and say we believe in Him but its a lot harder to be like Blondin's manager and actually let Him carry us across our troubles. We have to cast EVERYTHING on Him or else we don't actually have real faith. That's really hard to do though... I actually have no idea how and if y'all have any insight into how I could believe 100% on Jesus I would really appreciate it.

The reason I have posted on this amazing blog in so long is because I haven't been able to find time lately. And until around a little more than a week ago I hadn't been able to find time for Jesus too. How horrible does that sound? I hadn't been able to 'find time' for my Lord and Savior, THE person who loves me more than I could even begin to understand. That's sad. It's embarrassing. It's embarrassing that I could let myself get that... distracted with the distractions of this world that I forgot about eternity!!! But, right now, I'm making a promise to all of you that I will not have to 'find time' because I will MAKE time. He will now be my priority above all other things.

Finally... yesterday, as y'all know, was Easter. What a glorious day!!!! I mean honestly our Lord ROSE yesterday!!!! How amazing is that??? He is a living, breathing, walking God!! It just blows my mind how amazing that day is. I am so blessed to be able to celebrate this fantastic time free of persecution. So, I leave you all with a request to please pray for all of our fellow followers of Christ that are being faced with intense persecution right now.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you.

- John 14:27

-Ally

Why do we so easily forget?

This passage from Francis Chan's book called "Forgotten God" really got me thinking about why we go to church and why we seek to learn more about God so i will leave it with yall:
"Even our church growth can happen without Him. Let's be honest. If you combine a charismatic speaker, a talented worship band, and some hip, creative events, people will attend your church. Yet this does not mean that the Holy Spirit of God is actively working and moving in the lives of the people who are coming. It simply means that you have created a space that is appealing enough to draw people for an hour or two on sunday. It certainly does not mean that people will walk out the doors moved to worship in awe of God. People are more likely to describe the quality of the music of the appeal of the sermon than the One who is the reason people gather for "church" in the first place."

This really speaks to me because that is exactly how my conversations go as i am leaving church. After reading this I am hoping to start changing the tune of my conversations to be more about what God has shown me through the lesson rather than focusing on the superficial aspects of church.

prayer request

Hey yall, just have a quick prayer request. Tomorrow morning I am leading our FCA meeting at school. I'm talking about prayer and listening to God when he responds. If you read this before then, just say a quick prayer that the LORD would speak and not me. I want his words to penetrate the hearts of the people who come. I hope to reach at least one person on how important prayer is. I mean, it's one of the greatest and most powerful tools we have! So, prayer would be greatly appreciated. Love you all!
-Alexa
P.S. comment if you have prayer requests I can be praying for as well :)

Death

Hey guys!
First of all, happy Holy Week! Today, I wanted to focus not on Easter, though, like is generally standard, but on Good Friday.
I was thinking about what a good model Jesus' crucifixion is for us to live our life (I mean, it's completely different and we can never compare, but work with me). There are a ton of ways where Christ gives us the perfect example even while suffering, but I wanted to focus on mockery and death today.
How many times to you get teased for being a Christian? I'm not usually, but sometimes people think it's weird when I try to be more than lukewarm, ya know? It feels horrible: like you're completely isolated and you're never going to be popular again. People says words can't hurt, but they really can. You basically want to die.
Jesus knew how this felt, too. He was mocked by almost everyone in Jerusalem, everyone from soldiers to elderly scribes! All because he did (well, was) the right thing. He suffered so much by the words of people. I bet he wanted to die, too.
But here's something interesting: the gospels don't use the word 'died' to describe Jesus' death. Instead, they say that he 'gave up his spirit'. Jesus knew the only way to be saved from the hurt of mockery: give yourself totally to God. Give him your spirit.
I just thought that was something interesting. So this Good Friday, think about this: have you given God your spirit?
Have a great week, guys! -Erin W.

perfection

Hi precious questies! So last night one of you told me that she was struggling with the expectation of feeling perfect in everything, that she is really hard on herself and critical all the time. I want to share this with you because I think this is a key factor to our walk with the Lord!

In the Old Testament times the people had the law to abide by. They were obedient to the law (the 10 commandments), because they would be judged by God for this, but when Jesus came, died, and resurrected, we were set free from the law. This means that we no longer live a life focused on obeying the law, but rather loving Christ and making our lives a reflection of who he is. You probably find yourself, at times, looking around at your nonbelieving friends and thinking, man, they are so free to do whatever they want. They don’t have to make right decisions, they can do, say, and feel whatever they want. Proverbs 23:17 says, “Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the LORD all the day.” It is kind of crazy to think that we would envy sinners, but we do sometimes. We think man, they are free, but really they are living in bondage to their sin, they just don't know it. WE are the ones who are free. You are free from the law, free from sin, free to love Christ with all your heart. He has chosen you, and you will never be perfect like him. You are to be reminded of his greatness daily through your sin in realizing how badly you need Christ. Let your imperfection be a reminder to you of God’s greatness in that he chose you… not of the weight and power of your sin. He chose you regardless of what decisions you have made and will make in the future. In John chapter 15 it says, “Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” That is so key. You cannot bear fruit (do good deeds) without him. If you try and be perfect you are missing the point all together. We should not aim for perfection, but rather aim for Jesus. Keep your eyes on the cross. Not on yourself. Get the focus off of you and put it on Jesus. It continues into verse five, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” We can do nothing without him! He is our rock and our strength. We must stop looking inwardly to ourselves and our imperfection and shift our gaze up to the cross and the sacrifice Christ has made for us!

He loves you guys! He will be pleased in you for the condition of your heart being focused on him; for if your heart is sold out, your actions will mirror your heart. We make the mistake of it being backwards, perfect actions and then perfect heart, when Christ intended for it to be a Christ centered heart, and then actions that reflect him will follow that.

Focus on him… not on perfection!

I love you!

Lindsey

P.S. Happy Easter! Christ is Risen!

Baptised someday....

Hey everyone. I got something good to say so PLEASE READ: I was coming home from my youth group after we had just talked about something called Baptism Sunday, and its where they ask the people in the youth group to help out with the baptising. Anyway, i was listening to "The Stand" by Hillsong, and it got me thinking about my baptism. I was baptised as a baby in the catholic church and i didn't become a beliver in Christ until Marcus lead me to Him when i was 14. So the lyrics to the Stand go like this: "So i'll stand, with arms high and heart abandoned, In awe, of the One who gave it all." When i was baptised, I wasn't standing on my own two feet, and not knowing Christ. So i talked with my small group about it, and I decided that I want to be baptised when I'M standing up there on my own, and declaring my belief in Jesus. So this is the main question of this post: I talked to Marcus about this, and I think it would be really cool if i got baptised at the place where my faith originated: Sky Ranch. I dont know if i should get Baptised at Sky Ranch or at my church's Baptism Sunday, so if u think it would be okay if i could get baptised when I'm at Sky Ranch over the summer then please tell me.

Church Talk

Last Sunday I spoke in church, and here's what I said. Maybe it'll be an encouragement to some of you, i don't really know. but it really put things in perspective for me!

I often make the mistake of thinking that my life is about me. I think about what I want to do, what will please me, how I should be treated. The fact is, my life isn't about me. My life is meant to be centered on Christ. Every day I live should be about pursuing him, loving him, worshiping him, honoring him, serving him, and sharing him.

Take a look at the story of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew he was nearing his return to the Father. So he lowered himself as a servant, washing the disciples' feet. Back then, washing someone else's feet was a huge deal. Only the lowest of the low were burdened with that task. But Jesus did it. John 13:16 says "No servant is greater than his master." If Jesus Christ, my master and Lord washed feet and was the ultimate servant to all people, what then should my life look like? I should strive to serve like Christ did, with all that I am. That means that my life is NOT about me; I was not created for ME. I was made to seek, to serve, and to love. Now i know It can be hard to live a life that is backwards to what the world says you should do, but it's what we're called to do, it's who we're called to be--servants of Christ living with love for Him and his people.

But how am I, being the imperfect sinner that I am, supposed to live a life worthy of the calling I have received, like it says in Ephesians 4? I cannot do it alone. But Christ is the answer. Having him at the center of my life makes all the difference. With him, I don’t have to be strong enough, I don’t have to be good enough, and I don’t have to earn his love. His grace is sufficient for me. Putting Christ at the center of my life changes everything about me. It makes me a new person, a better person. All the pleasures and satisfactions of this world fade away when I am broken at the cross, humbled, in awe of his perfect glory.

Tassels

In Numbers 15: 37-41, the Lord is talking to Moses about what to tell the Israelites. In this little passage he talks about putting tassels on their garments. Here, see for yourselves:

“Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. You will have these tassels to look at so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes. Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the LORD your God.”

There are several reasons why I love this snippet of Scripture.

1) It makes me want to find something to serve as my very own “tassel.” Like post-it notes, which I already have plastered all across my room and bathroom mirror. Just little reminders every day, you know? I encourage y’all to find your own “tassels” and use them in daily life.

2) The Lord is giving his people an easy way to actually remember his commands and to follow them. He doesn’t just dish out commands and say, ‘Deal with it yourself,’ he offers a way to be reminded of them and live in obedience.

3) He is clearly showing that he has our best interest at heart. The word “prostitute,” whether a noun or a verb, just sounds bad. In this case, it means to offer up oneself for unworthy purposes. We don’t wanna do that! So the Lord is telling us how NOT to! He says that by going after “the lusts of your own hearts and eyes” we won’t be pursuing the life he has for us. He’s being the wonderful, loving Father he is and protecting us.

4) The word consecrated. LOVE IT. It means to be declared sacred, to be set apart, and/or to be devoted or dedicated to a certain purpose. He’s telling us how to be set apart for him and live a life devoted to HIS purpose, not our own.

5) At the end, he reminds his people that HE is THEIR God. He’s the one who’s gotten them this far, and he isn’t going to forsake them. HE is SOVEREIGN.

More to come soon…

-Alexa

A revelation

Alexa, erin, DJ, lindsey, and whoever else is still following this - pleaseee don't stop posting! Even though there's just a small group of us on here now I still learn so much every time I read a new post. This blog has helped me to grow so much in my faith over the past few months! I love y'all and I don't know where I'd be without my questies in my life!

So today I was in theology class, taking notes as usual. We were talking about Jesus' last few days and His crucifixion. My teacher was going in detail about the sufferings of Christ on the cross and just how much pain He endured for us. And then it hit me. Jesus could've saved Himself at any point during His crucifixion. He was DIVINE and human, at the same time. He could've stopped all the suffering in an instant. But He endured that suffering and that pain simply for us. For US! Why? What did we ever do to deserve that kind of love?! What did we ever do to deserve that kind of sacrifice?! Nothing. Absolutely nothing. "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but will have eternal life." (John 3:16) Only out of the deepest kind of love did Christ die for us.

So how does that apply to today? We are called to do the same. Of course, we could never even dream of reaching that kind of deep love that Christ has for us. We are incapable of that kind of perfect love. But we can try to reach that love, right? Christ endured suffering and pain for people who love Him, people who hate Him, and people who know nothing about Him. And in a sense, we're called to do the same. In all of your lives there's someone who you love, someone who you can't stand, and someone who you don't know at all. It doesn't matter who that someone is...no matter what, we're still called to show each of those people the same kind of love Christ shows us. We are called to endure suffering and pain for the sake of love, for the sake of furthering the Kingdom of God. Because that's the best way to further His glorious Kingdom, right? Through love? A simple, gentle, humble kind of love that can move mountains.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoEoPkmVkVs

Love you :)

Gratitude

Hey guys! So I went to Confession today, and I just really wanted to share with you one of the things the priest shared with me. After I confessed my sins, the priest told me that one of the easiest cures to most sins in the world is gratitude. Seriously, think about that! How could I/we have been missing that the whole time? It helps us with complaining, talking back, jealousy...the list goes on and on. That totally changed my perspective on things. So if you're having trouble with sin, just try to be more grateful for what you have. Have a great day! -Erin Walsh

COMFORT

Hi guys, I am planning on commenting on some of your posts this week as well, however I read something this morning I felt called to share with you!

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Check out the sentence... [we comfort others], "with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

That sentence rocks my world.

We know we are to love one another (John13:34), but this verse tells us HOW! We are to comfort one another the way Christ comforts us. So how does Christ comfort us? Answer this question in this post...

When I really thought about this, the magnitude of what it means really hit me. The Lord blesses us with suffering because he has mercy on his. This seems like a wack thought, but hear me out. God has such great mercy on us that when affliction enters our lives we get to experience his GREAT mercy and comfort because as we go to him we search for his fulfillment and his alone. That mercy reigns down on us through his glory being search out by our hearts and being found in his great love and comfort.

I find great encouragement in this verse as a promise of who God is, a God of great mercy and comfort, but also a challenge and call we are to fulfill: go out and comfort those the way I have comforted you.

Finally, "For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too." 2 Corinthians 1:5

Love yall,

Lindsey

fulfillment in Christ alone!

Hi Questies! I hope you have all been doing well!

Here is a thought… do you seek the Lord with the same intensity when you are in a good place as you do when you are suffering? I can honestly say that at times I do not. My desire is to love the Lord with a deep passion all days but there are times when I search for my fulfillment in other things, especially other people. Are you disappointed when you find out someone isn’t perfect? That they are just as much of a sinner as you are? At times, especially when we are searching to be fulfilled by someone else, we find ourselves utterly distraught because the fantasy we have created of who a person is shatters and we see who they really are. It is in this moment when we feel that deep loss within us and know that really it can only be filled by Jesus Christ.

The Lord gives us wonderful people in our lives (parents, siblings, best friends, teachers, boy/girl friends) to be in relationship with and these relationships are intended to REFLECT who Christ is, not MIRROR him.

Do you see the difference in a reflection and a direct mirror image? These people are not Christ, they are a reflection of Christ, just as you are.

He blesses us because he loves to remind us of His awesome glory and immense power. He loves seeing us filled with joy that can only come from him.

We fall when we make the mistake of seeing the blessing AS God instead of FROM God.

Do you see the difference?

Only Christ can truly fulfill us! This verse really put it into perspective for me…

“May the God of hope fill you will all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13

I love you guys and pray that today you will find fulfillment in Christ alone! Looking forward to seeing what the Lord brings forth in you! Have a great Monday!

Lindsey

Lukewarm

Hey guys! I feel like this is a question I should have an answer to, but I could use a straight-forward answer. So, I have friends who are lukewarm Christians, and they kinda criticize it...I don't know how to describe it, but basically they hate lectures, retreats, singing, discussing their feelings, and I guess just getting out of their comfort zone. (Maybe you know people like that?) For example, I had a great time at our school's retreat (thanks Haley!), but they complained for, like, 15 minutes straight about how stupid it was. Anyway, I don't really know what to say to that. If I tell them I liked it, they say they agree with me, but then go on to criticize it. I don't know what to say! Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks! -Erin

A never-ending mission

Hello my lovely questies :)

Today I helped out at my school's freshmen retreat (shoutout to Erin haha!). One of our school priests spoke at the retreat and at one point he quickly mentioned that our mission for Christ never ends. He didn't talk about it too much but that really stuck out to me. Our missions for Christ never end. We are called to further His kingdom and bring HIM glory on a daily basis. We are called to act as His light everyday. We are never done serving God or working for Him. It's a very humbling thought isn't it?

Today at the retreat I got to talk individually to a few of the other girls there. Quest, even when we think that God has done all He can in our lives, He does MORE. I connected with people that I've never even talked to in my life today! He never stops working for us and being there for us, so why should we ever stop working for Him?!

Lights Out!

Just wanted to share something that happened yesterday that kind of put a part of life in perspective for me--a walk in someone else's shoes, if you will. After i got home from swimming yesterday, the lights kept flickering in our house; the weather was shaky and bad most of the day. Eventually, as most of you probably guessed, the electricity went off altogether. Since I didn't know when and if it would come back on, i figured i might as well go ahead and take my shower. It was dark in there. haha. I actually had to think about where stuff was because without lights, it seemed that my vision wasn't doing me much good at all. Anyways, i finished up and started doing my homework, reading with a flashlight. Ironically, about 5 minutes after my dad said he might have to bring me to Barnes&Noble to do my homework, the lights came back on. While they were off, however, i just kept thinking of one thing: this is how people who don't have Christ live every day (metaphorically of course). We have the honor and blessing of knowing Christ and walking with him daily, but lots of people in our lives and across the world don't, obviously. We live with light radiating throughout our life and it's AWESOME, even though we take it for granted a lot of times. But non-Christians are living in the darkness, and some of them don't even know what light they could have because they've never had a glimpse of it before. Think about it, if you lived in darkness, say with no electricity, wouldn't you be amazed if suddenly lights burned brightly in your house? Wouldn't you want it to stay like that because you can see things better, see things for what they really are? the TRUTH?! I would. so give somebody that glimpse of light. let them look at your life and notice your "light." create in them,well, allow the Lord to create in them a desire to have that light--a light that penetrates darkness!

Community

Hey guys! Haven't posted in a while, and I hope you guys are doing great! So today, in case you guys didn't know, I play the harp. I had a competition today, and I've been practicing really hard for the past...3 months? It's been a little stressful, and what didn't help is that my mom would sit in the room and 'critique' me. Don't get me wrong, I love my mom and she's great, but she gets tired around 9:00, which is about the time I start practicing. She kept telling me that I was playing this song wrong, and I kept making a weird sound, and I needed to practice for about double what I was doing. I felt so depressed an horrible, because I didn't think I was doing it wrong, but I couldn't tell her that, and then she wouldn't let me practice because she was lecturing me so much. Basically, I wanted to scream, but I couldn't. But then I realized: who cares? Who cares what she thinks? Who cares if I play it wrong? Who cares if I completely fail at the competition? Because you know what? God still thinks I'm the best harpist he's ever seen, and I'm perfect to him. And to top it off, I'm surrounded constantly by trillions of Christians who don't care, because they think I'm perfect, too! The Christians who have gone before me are there to support me, and I know they are always with me, cheering me on (even though they're also in heaven.) Isn't that so encouraging, guys? You are constantly surrounded by a community of believers who think you are the most amazing athlete/musician/student/person ever, even if you can't see them. And all of us on Earth think so, too! Hope you guys can remember this, because it helps so much when your stressed. Have a nice day! -Erin

Come On

I want so much right now to start something big, a re-Be*Volution of sorts, a movement toward Christ. We can't do it if we aren't working together! For me, this is the time of year when my contact with camp friends is slacking, and i'm trying to prevent that from happening; i want to keep in touch with all of you that I know! We are brothers and sisters in CHRIST! The man with the plan! If God is for us, who can be against!? So right now, whenever you read this or have a minute to spare for his kingdom (sounds backwards, doesn't it? ALL our time should be for the kingdom.), comment on here as many things as you want that WE, a body of believers, can pray for, can hold you accountable to do, and can help you with. We gotta support each other! Reach out to people, let your light shine like the Lord wants it to, and BE what you BELIEVE! I'm definitely working on all of this too, but I think if we all did, something awesome, totally incredible, would happen. I pray that the presence of the Lord fills every one of your lives and works miracles before your eyes. Love you all to the moon and back, Alexa

Prayers!

Remember that retreat I told you my class and I were going on way back in February? Well, it got cancelled because of all the snow days. Now it's coming up this Thursday and Friday. If you get a chance, please pray for my class and me! Pray that all of our hearts will be open to God's presence and love at the retreat. Pray that we grow closer together as a class. Also, I'm giving a witness talk at the retreat, so please pray that the Lord will speak through me.

Thank you!
-Haley

Shalom

John 14:27- "Jesus said, "I leave you my peace; my peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world does. So don't let your hearts be troubled or afraid."

In hebrew, the word shalom means "peace," a wish for good health, freedom from strife, and wholeness. At the Last Supper, Jesus bid his disciples shalom. He bid them peace of mind and heart. This peace was one that the world never knew, or could offer. The world's peace depends on circumstance, Jesus' peace depends on our relationship with Him.

Think of John 14:27 as Jesus' Last Will. This verse tells us of our inheritence. And the wholeness and completeness found in this inheritence is at the heart of true happiness. His happiness.
-DJ

Amazing.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/42191453/ns/today-today_people/

Wow, I saw this video today and I thought I would share it with you all. It's about an 11-year old boy who visited heaven during a near-death experience, where he sat on Jesus’ lap and met his great-grandfather and the sister his mother miscarried.

So incredible.

Where does faith belong in dating?

hey everyone. long time no see.

so i'm thinking about trying to make a girl my girlfriend. but a couple of weeks ago, my small group and i talked about dating and my leader said "I think its alright to date if you and the other person are in the same place spiritually."

so i asked my friends in class today the same question on what they thought about faith or christianity in a relationship. They said that it doesn't really play a big role in dating.

What do you guys think about this? (please comment)
-DJ

Redemption

Hey Quest! I have another poem for you, called "Redemption." Hope you like it!

You wash away my sins,
Creating me anew.
You comfort my soul,
With a peace that’s ever true.

Your forgiveness heals,
Restores and sustains.
Set free are my sins,
Like the falling snow and rain.

The mercy of Your saving touch,
Grants me a new heart.
Grateful am I, oh Lord,
For yet another start.

Without Your forgiveness,
Where would we be?
Imprisoned in the confines,
Of our sinful misery.

But now You’ve set us free,
In forgiving us all.
And I know that with You I can rise,
Whenever I fall.

“Who is there like You, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of His inheritance; who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency, and will again have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt? You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins.” Micah 7:18-19

-Haley

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. ¹⁹ For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. ²⁰ For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope ²¹ that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

²² We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. ²³ Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. ²⁴ For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." -Romans 8:18-25

Let that marinate today. Comment what you think about what Paul was saying in this passage. Love you all SO MUCH!

-Alexa

Just a Quick Thought...

Hey guys!

Matthew 10:10.13 "'...he said to them, 'Why do you make trouble for this woman? She has done a good thing for me. Amen, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has doen will be spoken of, in memory of her.'"

Just a reminder that God values our efforts, and we will not be forgotten for doing good.
Have a nice day!

An answer to DJ's question...

A while ago DJ posted this...
I want the Lord to take control, I want to find contentment in His Word and His Love. But there are so many distractions that I can't remember Him occasionally. How do you give your heart fully to the Lord? How do you say to God, "Lord, here's my heart and my soul. Do with it what You will. You can have me."

Well I've been thinking about this question for the past few days. How do we really give it all to God? How do we completely surrender our lives to Him and His will? When I started to think about this question, the song "From the Inside Out" by Hillsong United came to mind. If you haven't heard it, here it is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-afZJ9_TIM...it's so good! Anyway, part of the song says, "My heart and my soul, I give you control, to love you from the inside out." But HOW do we give our whole heart and soul to God, putting Him completely in control? We have to...

1) Offer up our sins to Him, knowing that He will forgive us no matter what. We have to confess everything to Him (even though He already knows everything) and admit to our failures and sinfulness. Doing that will help us realize that He is the only One who is sinless and perfect. Micah 7:19 ~ "You will again have compassion on us; You will tread our sins underfoot and toss all our sins into the depths of the sea."

2) Trust Him, knowing that He knows what He's doing. When we face good times and when we face bad times, we have to trust that He is doing what is ultimately best for us, what will only make us stronger. Romans 8:28 ~ "And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

3) Live WITH and FOR Him. This last step to surrendering your life to God can only happen if you do the first two steps. If we don't consistently ask for forgiveness for our sins or trust Him with absolutely everything, then there is no way we can live with or for Him at all.

These are just my thoughts on how we can surrender our lives to God. If anyone else has anything to add, leave some comments! :)

And I don't know how I remember this, but DJ, I remember you said this at the Quest reunion: "God can't be a part of our lives. He has to BE our life." I think that's really cool and has a lot to do with the whole surrendering your life to God thing.

-Haley

Star Gazing

Hey Questies! I don't know how many of you did the facebook event star-gazing thing tonight, but i have a quick story from it. it was basically a night of looking at the stars along with others all over the country (and maybe world!) and just praising Jesus and being in his glory, presence, and awesomeness.

However, tonight where I am, the stars were not visible at all. neither was the moon. this showed me 2 things for sure...well, okay, reinforced 2 things for sure....

1) even when we don't "see" God working or "feel" him, he's definitely still here and working miracles day in and day out. i mean, you woke up this morning, didn't you?

not seeing the stars hanging in the sky exactly where God placed them himself was almost better for me right now than seeing them. it just reminded me that even when the cloud cover of life gets in the way, the Lord is STILL THERE. Always. it encouraged me to have more faith in my creator and trust in what Romans 8:28 clearly says, "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Also, a personal fave, Hebrews 11:1, the perfect definition of faith itself: "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we DO NOT SEE." I know the stars are up there somewhere, even when not visible to me.

2) we know a lot less than we like to think we do. WE ARE HUMAN, NOT GOD. God is sovereign and in control, and no matter how much i wanted to see those glorious, hand-crafted stars tonight, i couldn't change the fact that the sky was cloudy. not a thing i could do about it. and there is comfort in knowing that. who am i to say the sky should be clear tonight? at least it didn't rain like predicted to! anyways, my point is that God is the head of all things, large and small!

hope you all have a great weekend, and just know you are more of a blessing to me than you can ever know.

-Alexa

Prayer request!

I'm going to be a retreat leader for the 7th grade retreat next week at my old grade school. Some other questies, Emma Jaspersen and Lauren Baskett, will also be there! If you get a chance, please pray for us, that God will use us and speak through us to these 7th graders. Pray that He'll give us wisdom when speaking with these kids and He'll give us courage when sharing stories about our faith! Thanks :) I hope everything's going well with you guys.

Represent!

So i'm gonna try to make this one a bit shorter....

Today in class we were assigned to do student led devotions and this is the topic I decided on: Living in God's name.

The verses i chose were: Col. 3:17- "And whatever you do, whether it be in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
Prov. 21:31- "The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord."

Basically mine is about whatever you do or accomplish, God LET that happen. Then I kinda led that into a modern example: Tony Dungy.
If you dont know who that is, he was the head coach for the Colts the year they won the Superbowl. He had been fired from so many other teams before he was with the Colts, because he never won the superbowl.
The first practice he had with the Colts, the very first thing he said was this: "It's not gonna be Manning's touchdown throwing pass that's gonna win us games. It's not gonna be the linebackers awesome defense that's gonna win us games. The ONLY thing that's going to win us games is if we honor the victories we earn in the name of the Lord."

And sure enough, they won the Superbowl that year.
Here's Tony Dungy's 'I Am Second' video: http://www.iamsecond.com/seconds/tony-dungy/
WATCH IT!

Corinthians

Hey guys!
This should be pretty quick, but here goes!

At Mass this Sunday, the 2nd reading was Corinthian 4:1-5. This is just such a great passage, but two things in particular stood out to me.

Corinthians 4:1 "Thus should one regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God." I'm not sure exactly what to say about this one, but I love it! When people think of you, what do they think of? Athletic? Smart? Funny? Quiet? There's a lot of options, but how about servant of God? And through this, also servants of others. This is the first thing that people should think of, and we, of course, are called to fill the role. Also, stewards of the mysteries of God...I have any general understanding of this, but does anything have something to add?

Secondly, Corinthians 4:3 "It does not concern me in the least that I be judged by you or any human tribunal; I do not even pass judgement on myself." I do not even pass judgement on myself...I don't know about you guys, but this idea is totally new to me! We are told to work hard to achieve our goals, examine our lives to fix the bad, compare ourselves to others, try to be better. But guys, WE CAN'T JUDGE OURSELVES! It's up to God: we may think we are horrible and need so much fixing, and maybe we do, but we can't condemn ourselves and dwell on how horrible we are. On the other hand, we can't say we are better. God is the judge of us, and how should we know what is perfect? Also, we can't compare ourselves to others: have you ever been someone else? Please let me know, because I sure haven't! We don't know really know anything about other people's lives aside from what they tell us, so how can we compare ourselves?

Basically guys, continue to work hard and try to follow Christ! But remember, don't condemn or raise yourselves up. He is the final judge, and he loves you!

Have a good week!

Romans 8:28 & Being a Light

Hey Quest! God has been doing so much in my life lately, and I wanted to share a few things with you.

1) He makes ALL THINGS work for our good. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." Quest, this is SO TRUE. I'm slowly learning how to surrender my life to Christ and trust in His plan for me. And the more I do that, the more I realize that He really does make all things work for the good of those who love Him! It's so rewarding being a disciple of Christ, isn't it?

2) Another random thing I've learned lately. In order to be a light, we have to GO TO the darkness. I heard this phrase in Church the other day and it made so much sense to me. If we want to act as lights, we have to actually go to where the darkness is! I find that the more friends I make and people I meet, the more I realize just how dark and broken our world is. The closer I get to people the more I realize just how much they are struggling with certain things. Quest, don't be afraid to go where there is darkness - that is the only way to act as a light. And if you look for darkness in this world, you'll find it. I know that sounds weird, but think about it. Go to the darkness, go to the broken people around you, and be their LIGHT.

Have a great week!
-Haley

insert awesome title here

Hey Quest. Right now I am so tired because I spent all weekend at this thing called Youth LEG. It's basically Louisiana's state youth and government conference, and high schoolers from all over the state meet in Baton Rouge to act as government. It was pretty awesome, not gonna joke. Anyways, while I was there I met lots of really legit people, and lots of people who are probably considered outcasts at their schools, you know what I mean, the ones on the edge of the social group. I mean, being a follower of Christ I pray and hope that if i were to know them personally that I would not think of them as such, but it's evident that a lot of people do. What I'm getting at is I met a wide variety of people at LEG. One thing that really hit me about it all after I got home was the realization that most of my life is spent living for me. It shouldn't be that way.

One girl in particular that i met really caught my attention. She was one of the candidates running for Lt. Governor for the club for the entire state. She's my age, and is just one of those people that you can spot as so awesome and passionate about anything they do. it's awesome to watch and i can only hope to be like that one day. i met her the 2nd day we were there and she was so friendly and personable, and really, just enjoyable to be around. i guess seeing her enthusiasm and passion for youth LEG sparked in me a desire to serve others and be all in everything I do. somehow, meeting her pushed me to live for others more than i have been lately. so i've devised a simple plan to achieve this in day to day living, because more times than not, the problem isn't that i don't know what to do, it's that i never actually do it. So i made a plan to ensure that I WILL DO THIS.

1) listen to people always.

2) seek their needs and/or wants.

3) try your best to meet these needs/wants in whatever way possible... Care about them.

4) ultimately, be Jesus to these people. Give them something to notice--the Savior of the world!

I challenge you all to follow this plan, or make your own! whatever works.

Love always,

Alexa

No fear?

Today I was driving in the car with my dad. I think most of you already know that my dad's an atheist. He's kind of a crazy driver, so I was telling him to slow down over and over again. And he jokingly said, "Well even if we die we go to Heaven right?" I just kind of laughed but then he said, "I don't understand you Christians. You say that Heaven will be this awesome place and yet you're so afraid of death." So it kind of hit me in that moment. Obviously it's okay to be afraid of death, but if we're trying to spread the Gospel - especially to those who refuse to believe the Gospel - the idea of Heaven should bring HOPE and fearlessness into our lives. So how are YOU living? With hope and without fear? Really look into your life and think about that question.

Just something to be thinking about :)

-Haley

Pray for these people!

Hey quest, I came across this article about six Afghan converts to Christianity, who are in danger of being executed by their government or being stoned and burned by the people for their beliefs. It's crazy to think that this kind of inhumane persecution is still happening today - this article was posted just yesterday! Reading this just really made my heart hurt for these people, so I wanted to ask you guys to pray for them with me. We are so blessed to live in a country where we are free to be Christians, but there are so many people who aren't. Please pray!

Here's the article link:

http://www.barnabasfund.org/UK/News/News-analysis/Christians-facing-death-in-Afghanistan-denied-refuge.html

I want Him in the driver seat

Last week at my small group we got pretty deep. I mean DEEP. we mainly touched on relationship issues with girls and how we should act, and more importantly how do we know if this girl is someone you really should date.

This is the answer we came to: 1) Date someone who is in the same place as you are spiritually or 2) not date any one at all until your out of high school.

The whole dating, and wanting a girlfriend can become a huge distraction for me and it can pretty much be all i think about some times. this is what distracts me from seeking the Lord at times and last night i just said, "Lord, i want you in my drivers seat. Anytime you're ready to take control, so will I."

I want the Lord to take control, I want to find contentment in His Word and His Love. But there are so many distractions that I can't remember Him occasionally.

How do you give your heart fully to the Lord? How do you say to God, "Lord, here's my heart and my soul. Do with it what You will. You can have me."

Story of my life

I came across these verses last night. They describe Jesus' redemption perfectly. And they describe my life perfectly, and I'm sure they do for yours also :)

"And you who once were alienated and hostile in mind because of evil deeds, He has now reconciled in his fleshly body through His death, to present you holy, without blemish, and irreprochable before Him, provided that you persevere in faith, firmly grounded, stable, and not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven." Colossians 1:21-23

Every day, we sin; we fail. And every day, He lifts us back up again and loves us just the same. Trust in His redeeming power.

Have a great week :)
-Haley

i know this is long but read me...or not

hi friends!

i feel like it has been forever since i have posted anything. but anyways. just an update on what is going down in this life. i wish i could say that it has been all peaches and cream but that would be a lie. this past week, i feel like satan has been attacking me. scripture says that the enemy only comes to steal, kill, and destroy and i feel like he has done all of these things...all within the last week.

there were and times where i just wanted to give up, but that wouldnt be ok and that is not what we're encouraged and commanded to do. James 4:8 says "Draw near to the Lord and he will draw near to you". i feel like this has been my go to verse this week. for i know that scripture is true and trustworthy and no matter my circumstances, it speaks life.

so i challenge you to cling to scripture on a daily basis. for the words of man are temporary and hold no value if they are not of the Lord. seek truth out for yourself. for this walk is more than a feeling, it is a relationship you will have to work at. please, please do not give up! you are not alone in this everyday battle!

oh and here is another thing i want to share with you. so my best friend is such a woman of the lord! i wish you could meet her because her heart is so precious. well, the lord is using her in so many ways and opening so many different doors for her to be used. on the flip side of the that, im over here begging the lord to open some doors and opportunities for me and nothing seems to be opening.

even though she is my best friend and im so so incredibly pumped for her, i still have a wave of jealousy flood over me because i want to be used as much as she is. i want doors to opened like they are for her. and it was in that moment where the lord instantly reminded me that it is not about me and it will never will be. let me elaborate. as believers we are part of one body and we all have different functions. some can teach while others encourage and so on and so on. the lord clearly revealed to me that i couldnt do the things that he has called her to do and she wouldnt be able to do the things he has called me to to do; we were made for certain tasks for his kingdom and his namesake.

so if you are like me and wish that the lord was using you in other places and opening doors like he is for people you know....please dont wish those things. trust in jeremiah 29:11. pray that the lord opens doors in his timing. trust scripture and his special plan for you but remember it isnt a competition but its a battle for his kingdom!

Light up the world!

Hey everyone! You're probably wondering why in the world I'm writing on the quest blog at midnight! Well I just got back from this awesome Christian concert with all these different bands (Kutless, David Crowder, Sidewalk Prophets, etc.), and I wanted to share something with you.

At one point, one of the bands that was on stage (I think it was Kutless, I don't remember), told everyone to take out their cell phones. The stage lights all turned off and everyone in the audience held out their phones so all you could see was the bright lights coming from the phones in the darkness. Immediately I thought of Quest (weird, I know). I thought of when Cameron told us how he envisioned us all going back home after camp and living as lights for Christ. He said he pictured a map, with lights slowly getting brighter and brighter. And he said he prayed that our lights would stay shinning, in this world of darkness, all throughout the year.

When I saw those bright lights from the cell phones I thought of what Cameron had said. Do NOT let your light fade. Keep it shinning because this world needs it - daily! The more and more people I meet and friends I make the more I realize how broken and dark our world really is. Quest, don't let your LIGHT stop shinning! Light up the world!

"You are the LIGHT of the world. A city on a hill CANNOT be hidden." Matthew 5:14

You're in my prayers!
-Haley

What is faith?

What is faith? How do you trust Christ? It is definitely easier said than done.

So this question was asked to me earlier this week and I think its one we don’t often think about. What really is faith? How do we know if our faith is strong?

Well here are some ideas… Faith is love. Faith is trust backed by knowledge. Faith is believing the truth… the Good News.

To have faith we must first be truly convinced of the Truth. This means trusting in what the Bible says as reality – having trust in things unseen. We then must believe and put stake into embracing and seizing this truth. Check this out…

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

So what is the difference between faith and ignorance? We can say, “Oh yeah I believe, that’s why I do not need to really read my Bible. I already know it is all true, so what is the point?” This is SUCH a common misconception. But really, guys, knowing is only half of the battle. We must SEIZE the truth he gives us and ake our faith active.

Luke 17:5 The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you."

Ok so what is an example of faith in action? Remember when Peter walked on water? He didn’t just believe… he acted. Think of the circumstances Peter was in – On a boat in the middle of the ocean, a huge storm waves crashing into the walls of the boat, and then Jesus appears and Peter takes action and begins to walk out to him. He didn’t just believe… he acted. Just believing is not enough… we MUST act. God demands for us to believe and trust in times of weakness. We must lean on him to make us strong. “Faith is the state of being convinced about what we hope for.” (See link below)

So we see, coming to a conclusion here, that faith and trust are hand in hand. We must believe, and then trust - even when our circumstances tell us otherwise. God is SO much bigger than anything we can see here on earth. Trust in his goodness and his might.

Love yall so much,

Lindsey

P.S. Check out the below page for more info on where I got this material!

http://www.acts17-11.com/faith.html

Washed white as snow

Hey everyone it's DJ
this is a follow-up to A Crimson Stain and then A Darker Stain

So I'm at youth group and my friend with her issue walks in. She walks up to me and gives me a hug. A VERY LOOOONG hug. and when she let go she said thank you.
I had texted her earlier that day with the idea that God doesn't need us, we need Him. and her concern was that God wasnt doing anything in her life, and I said that "God does so much in our lives. There's an endless list of the things He does, we just dont notice them half the time."
I wouldn't of had that conversation with my friend if it weren't for you guys encouraging me to do so. So thank for pushing me!

Something to Remember

God is bigger than you think he is.

People are more desperate than you think they are.

You can do more than you think you can.

Just a saying I've heard and was reminded of the other day...something good to remember in day-to-day living. Love you guys!

~Alexa

Oh, Your love is a song

Hey Quest! I am loving how this blog is just exploding with posts this week! Keep it up! :) I love how we all help each other whenever we need encouragement. So cool!

I found a great song yesterday called "Your Love is a Song" by Switchfoot. I can't stop listening to it...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LbMxs3HDOs&feature=feedlik. I hope you like it too!

God's love for us is a song; it's a melody. His love is beautiful and satisfying, everything we've ever wanted and MORE. Don't ever forget that. We are all so guilty of turning to the world for happiness and satisfaction...but only God's unfailing love for us can give us permanent joy. Everything we've ever wanted and more.

One part of the song goes like this:

"I've been keepin my eyes wide open,
I've been keepin my eyes wide open."

When I heard this, it reminded me of what Brooklyn and Alexa were talking about in Brooklyn's post below about love. It reminded me to "take hold of the open doors" that God has for us, and to be open to His plan for us, just like Brooklyn and Alexa said. We have to be open to each opportunity God gives us.

"Oh Your love is a symphony, all around me, running through me. Oh Your love is a melody, underneath me, running to me. Oh Your love is a song. Your love is a song."

-Haley :)

Being Noticed

Hey guys!

First of all, contrary to what you may believe, this is not a post about not caring what the world thinks. This is a post of encouragement.

So a couple weeks back, we had a nun come to my school to talk about discernment, which is basically deciding what God wants you to do with your life. As we were walking back to class, one of my friends, who's not Christian, asked me if I was going to be a nun.

I didn't really think much of this until yesterday, when all the sudden something hit me: she thought that I might become a nun! There were other people with us, but she asked ME. This probably just made my whole life, because I have been trying really hard to minister to this girl, but it's been tough, as this is my first experience. But her saying that just prooved to me that she noticed that I've been talking about my faith and trying to live it. People actually DO notice!

Anyway, there's probably some verse about this, but I can't think of any, so if you know one, please share! I was just so excited to know that my efforts are not wasted, and that God has been working through me. If you're in a position where you don't think what your saying means anything, maybe it does because of God. So don't give up hope!

Haha, my hands are kinda shaky right now because I'm so excited by this. So good luck and God bless all of you! You are doing great things in the world!

Broken Down

I just experienced something that I want to share with you all. It's 11:51 on Tuesday night, and i have been praying for about the past 20 minutes. I needed time with the Lord to pray and plead and give all of me up in prayer for another. I won't go into the long version now, but my heart is broken, and it has been for quite some time. It's broken for someone who i never thought it could be this broken for. i know a lot of you have been through rough patches and know what intense, inner, spiritual pain feels like. i know you have. well that's where i am now. my heart and soul ache for someone in my life. i've been kneeling in my room, crying out to God, and crying, too, and it just HURTS. honestly. i don't even know how to fully explain it, really.

sometimes, God breaks us down to build us up, and i have experienced that through this situation, too. and that, well that is incomparably AWESOME. but i've been thinking, maybe it's this inner ache that is our wall that's stopping us from unleashing God's power and glory. i feel like a lot of times i think the opposite, i think about how the pain can reveal God's glory through it. and i'm not saying it can't, don't get me wrong, here. God's power and sovereignty most definitely CAN shine through heartache! but what i'm saying right now is that maybe, just maybe, this deep, throbbing pain that cripples our souls and spirits is what is keeping us from allowing the Lord to work through us. maybe we feel that the pain is too great to deal with, so we shrug off thinking about how much it hurts, when really, if we embrace it and let it out, God's light and sovereignty will take action and truly come alive in our lives. get what i'm saying? i hope so.

okay, have you ever prayed really really insanely hard about something or someone? did you ever feel like nothing was happening, that God wasn't listening or taking action when you thought he should? that's us making God out to be a god we want him to be, not who he actually is. we pray and pray and pray and want something to happen, we expect it because we believe that God will deliver. but when things don't happen, we doubt. the pain washes over us even more and we crumble. can anyone relate? so basically what I'm trying to say is, maybe it's this hurt inside of us that hinders our faith. we let it get to us and it clouds our vision, our perception of God. it's so intense and real that it blinds us from who God is and all that he can do, IF WE LET HIM WORK. guys, if we don't allow God room to work in our lives and the lives of others, how can we expect great things to happen? we've gotta do our part, and that involves not letting the heartache and brokenness block your view of God and his might. keep posting...i'm loving it

-Alexa